Dr Bell of Wrington: Pioneer of Reservoir Fly Fishing

 

by Adrian V W Freer

 

This book is dedicated to the life, the artificial flies, the pioneering techniques in stillwater nymph fishing and ultimately the angling legacy of Dr Howard Alexander Bell (1888-1974) of Wrington, Somerset. Dr Bell regularly fished Blagdon Lake in the years following WW1 where he sought to devise better methods of catching reservoir trout.

 

As a result of his enquiring and scientific mind Dr Bell did not follow the standard practice of the day of employing 'attractor' patterns but rather he studied the creatures that the fish were targeting and endeavoured to design artificial patterns which replicated them, and retrieved them in a manner which mimicked their progression through the water.

 

He was probably the first angler to implement such an imitative approach to reservoirs and his Blagdon Buzzer is the forerunner of the multitude of buzzer artificials employed today.

 

The book contains a biography of the doctor, a timeline of the events in his life, a history of the development of reservoir fly fishing in England and a survey of the tackle in use at that time. That is followed by information about Wrington village where he lived, about Blagdon Lake which he fished and there is a record of his celebrated Alvis. Included are reminiscences written by those who knew him, a number of references to him gleaned from books, a few brief but endearing memories of the doctor and a record of his visits to the River Spey. There is a catalogue of his fly patterns, facsimile pages from his fishing notebooks, some images of flies he tied and the only article known to be written by Dr Bell. To conclude there are obituaries taken from fishing magazines.

 

Contents include:

• A biography of the doctor.

• Timeline of events in his life.

• A history of the development of reservoir fly fishing in England.

• Information about Wrington village.

• Blagdon Lake which he fished.

• The doctor's celebrated Alvis.

• Reminiscences written by those who knew him.

• References gleaned from books.

• Some brief but endearing memories of the doctor.

• Visits to the River Spey.

• Catalogue of patterns.

• Facsimile pages from fishing notebooks.

• Images of flies.

• The only article known to be written by Dr Bell.

• Bibliography.

 

Includes 95 black & white illustrations and 5 maps.

 

Published by Welford Court Press

 

ISBN: 9781798530146

 

Paperback, 128 pages, page size 229mm x  152mm

 

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